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attracting or capable of attracting attention or interest; striking:
an arresting smile.
making or having made an :
the arresting officer.
contemporary examples

most arrestingly, he also reveals the grace that can miraculously inhabit affliction.
oliver sacks on the mind’s eye and neurological afflictions jamie holmes november 12, 2010

historical examples

his face, now bristling with dark stubble, was none the less clear-chiseled and arrestingly featured.
a pagan of the hills charles neville buck

it would have been arrestingly handsome but for its marring shadow of surliness.
when ‘bear cat’ went dry charles neville buck

mrs dubedat is beyond all demur an arrestingly good-looking young woman.
the doctor’s dilemma george bernard shaw

they were arrestingly distinctive, for one of them was pale-blue and the other noticeably grayish.
the law of hemlock mountain hugh lundsford

they were arrestingly large in size, thereby helping to dwarf the proportions of her face.
the far horizon lucas malet

they were arrestingly uncommon eyes and, once seen, they must be remembered.
the law of hemlock mountain hugh lundsford

it should be arrestingly done, so that the attention shall be aroused and held from this announcement even until the end.
public speaking clarence stratton

the whole picture breathed an amazingly bold and original power, and was so arrestingly vital that it gripped and held one.
the purple heights marie conway oemler

adjective
attracting attention; striking
n.

early 15c., “action of stopping” someone or something, verbal noun from arrest (v.).
adj.

“striking, that captures the imagination,” 1792, present participle adjective from arrest (v.).